At the USDA Outlook Forum in Washington, D.C., American Sugarbeet Growers Association President Neil Rockstad highlighted the growing financial strain on farmers due to soaring input costs and legislative delays. “We’ve been looking at an across-the-board 30 percent increase in our input costs since we passed the last farm bill in 2018,” said the Ada, Minnesota farmer. “Certainly. we have a lot of work to do to make that safety net come up and meet our expenses, not make us profitable, of course, but provide that safety net so that we can continue to survive as an industry.” Rockstad detailed skyrocketing expenses, citing land costs rising 70 percent since 2018, fertilizer prices more than doubling, and equipment costs surging. Rockstad warned that repeated delays could make the farm bill more expensive and less effective in addressing the challenges faced by farmers. Click here to listen to full interview.
